Updates to Our Programming Due to COVID-19

Our Parent Peer Support Group for parents with a middle school through young adult child will not be able to meet at Wayne Presbyterian Church for at least two weeks beginning on 3/18. We are actively considering alternative methods of meeting. If you are interested in the support group and not on Nancy Dever’s weekly email list, please email Nancy as this is how she will communicate changes.

In the interest of safety and compliance with NAMI, state, and local guidelines, the Havertown NAMI Family Support Groupwill not meet face-to-face on Tuesday, March 17. Instead, you are invited to call into a conference line: 712-451-0200 and use access 564650. NAMI PA Main Line is working on setting up future meetings via Zoom, which is a web-based application. We will send instructions once we have them. If you have any questions, please email Nora.

In-person meetings for our NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group for adults living with mental illness on Tuesday evenings in Bryn Mawr have been temporarily suspended as a precaution. We are developing an alternate meeting plan and will announce that as soon as the plan is finalized.

Out of an abundance of caution and to maintain the health and well-being of our participants, we have decided to postpone our Main Line NAMI Workshop: Balancing Compassionate Kindness with Limit Setting that was scheduled for March 22. We do plan to reschedule this event at a later date. We will let you know once we have determined the date.

As of today, our Main Line NAMI Interactive Forum: Ask the Experts is scheduled to be on Sunday, May 3, from 2-4 p.m. at Ardmore Presbyterian Church. For more information, please contact us at 267-251-6240 or info@NAMIMainLinePA.org. Registration is not required.

For the most up-to-date event information, please see our Events page.

NAMI National Updates on the CoronavirusExcerpted from NAMI National

Considering the news regarding the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), NAMI National released the following information on March 9, 2020.

As of today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), notes the following in terms of risk assessment:

For most people, the immediate risk of being exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 is thought to be low. This virus is not currently widespread in the United States.

People in places where ongoing community spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 has been reported are at elevated risk of exposure, with increase in risk dependent on the location.

Health care workers caring for patients with COVID-19 are at elevated risk of exposure.

Close contacts of persons with COVID-19 also are at elevated risk of exposure.

Travelers returning from affected international locations where community spread is occurring also are at elevated risk of exposure, with increase in risk dependent on the location. The CDC recommends avoiding non-essential travel to several countries. Before traveling, consult travel guidance from the CDC.

NAMI strongly encourages people to not only check the CDC website daily for updates, but also to listen for updates from local news and public health care providers.

NAMI Offers These Tips For People With Mental Illness:

For anyone who is unsure about attending therapy sessions outside the home, especially those who the CDC has described as being at higher risk, you can ask your health care provider about tele-therapy or mental health services online.

For anyone who is worried about access to prescribed medications, you can ask your health care provider about getting 90-day supplies vs. a 60 or 30-day supply. If this is not possible, we encourage you to refill your medications as soon as they are allowed. Note: If healthcare providers deny/decline making accommodations, challenge the decisions at least three times. Decision-makers on making health plan adjustments may change if/as conditions worsen.

Listen to and follow your local public health care provider expectations.

Provide self-care, especially if in the higher risk population as defined by the CDC. Pay attention to emerging symptoms. Reach out to family and friends.